


I'm A Better Person When I Have You Here

by xxELF21xx



Category: Helix Waltz (Video Game)
Genre: 5+1 Things, Alan's A Good Bro, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fluff, Gen, Gonzalo ain't slick, Humor, Light Angst, Self-Esteem Issues, it's rated T because cursing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-03
Updated: 2019-02-03
Packaged: 2019-10-21 18:41:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,664
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17647868
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xxELF21xx/pseuds/xxELF21xx
Summary: 5 times Andre tries to escape attending a ball, and the 1 time Alan's had enough.





	I'm A Better Person When I Have You Here

**Author's Note:**

> let them be best friends, devs.

**i.**

 

Andre avoids his gaze, eyes trained on the loose threads of his guard uniform. Softly, he mumbles, ‘it’s the full moon tonight. I can’t leave.’

Alan feels his soul leave his body, fighting the urge to force Andre into a chokehold, or cry, or scream, or sigh really loudly and hope that the world resets. ‘You’re not a werewolf. Shut up, you furry.’

His friend doesn’t even flinch at the foreign word, blankly avoiding the statement and bulldozing Alan with _more_ words, ‘no, you don’t understand, Alan. I really cannot attend the ball tonight, it’s… a family matter.’

Some part of him wants to just let this slide, let Andre do whatever and attend the ball by himself, but he’s reminded that the douche -- Eliot? -- was going to be there tonight; and he doesn’t want to deal with the stuck up noble without moral support.

Grasping at straws, he blurts, ‘Lady Ellenstein would be horribly upset if you aren’t going.’

Andre stares at him, jaw slack, as if Alan’d just talked in a whole other language. ‘Lady… _Ellenstein?_ She’s going tonight? But… the list…’

Sending a mental apology to the probably still ill Magda, Alan grits through his teeth and nods his head. ‘She mentioned that she wanted to talk to you about something-- ‘ He wracks his brain to remember what Magda had said about Andre in the last ball they’d met at, ‘--about a bribe?’

His friend seemed alarmed, shifting into attention in a span of a second. ‘Give me three minutes.’ Andre disappears into his home, as if moving through a daze, attaching his cape and knotting the laces of his boots, fumbling with his scabbard.

Huh, he hadn’t expected this to work.

 

**ii.**

 

He doesn’t know what he’s supposed to do, in this situation.

Andre had holed himself up in his room, refusing to attend the ball scheduled for all members of the Senate and Assembly. Even using Magda’s name was useless. Trying to find out why Andre refused to attend balls was like trying to figure out if Barris is sarcastically speaking to him when they converse.

It’s awfully confusing.

Knocking lightly on the door again, Alan tries to worm his way into his friend’s very stressed heart. ‘Would it be better if I stuck to you all night, Andre? I promise not to get dragged away by the other guards or any nobles. And I promise to divert Giulolo’s attention if she gets too close. I’ll even let you pet Jiu after this! We can get some pies from Starr!’

There is no response.

Growing anxious, he starts pacing the corridors of the Wolf estate. Oh, Goddess, what was he to tell Gonzalo if Andre continued to refuse? The noble had high expectations for his success! Well, then again, the blond always seemed to take Alan more seriously than anyone else.

He hears the door creak open slightly, a dishevelled Andre peeking through the slit. ‘You promise we can get pies and I can pet Jiu?’ He asks, voice a little hoarse and cracked.

Alan blinks, brain half-melted. He nods. ‘Yeah.’

The man slinks back into the room, and re-emerges moments later in proper clothing.

‘We might as well head to the doctor’s while we’re at it,’ Alan suggests, wincing at Andre’s eye bags.

 

**iii.**

 

Alan spots him the moment he tries to make his move towards the door. Excusing himself from the awkward conversation with Xavier, he all but runs to the entrance of the ballroom.

He pushes the doors shut with a resounding _thud,_ and he hopes none of the Olineauxs’ mind the tiny splinters in the frame.

Dragging Andre’s arm, he leads them into the gardens for a breath of fresh air.

‘You know that you’re supposed to at least talk to the Grand Duke before leaving? He might not take you into consideration as a knight if you just disappear like that.’ He tries to keep the irritation from his tone, but Andre sees right past him.

The blond scratches his head, trying to look for an excuse to counter not greeting the city’s most important person, ‘I wasn’t feeling well.’ The bags under his eyes seem worse than before, and he’s slouching ever so slightly.

But just like Andre can see through him, Alan can do the same.

‘You’re not sleeping well?’ Alan guesses, making eye contact with a curious Gonzalo. Andre doesn’t deign him an answer.

He feels like a mother hen, not for the first time, trying to picture calm scenery and peaceful skies. He cannot lose his mind in a ball and have Hugh witness it, he’ll never hear the end of it from Juven. He can do this.

Maybe.

‘Didn’t you tell me,’ he’s beginning to regret being so observant, ‘that you turned in early last night?’ Andre had assured him, when they first met at this evening’s ball, that he’s had more than enough rest and was feeling better than ever.

‘Uhm,’ is the genius reply he gets in return.

Tonight is going to be a long night. Alan hopes that Vicky’s made enough drinks, because he’s not going to survive at this rate.

 

**iv.**

 

There are a few things that make Alan want to cry, the top one being overfeeding Jiu and making her ill. One of them, though, is _not_ having to piggyback Andre to a ball because _‘my ankle is twisted’._

That’s the worst story he’s heard so far, because his own two eyeballs saw Andre _running_ through the slums in the morning.

If Alan has to be a human carriage for Andre to get him to attend balls they both had to go, he will gladly (not really) do so. Besides, he does need to do some lifting, his armour’s been getting heavier as of late.

‘Why don’t you just go to balls on your own?’ He sighs, ignoring the looks he’s getting as they approach the City Hall. Andre’s chin digs into his crown, and he tilts his head upwards to relieve some of the pressure.

It takes a moment, but eventually, Andre reluctantly replies. ‘It’s the stares… People just keep looking at me as though I don’t belong. It bothers me more than it should.’

He sets Andre down, patting down his own clothes and smoothing out the wrinkles, ‘well, it shouldn’t.’

Looping their arms together, they make their way towards Magda, who was having a chat with Linglan excitedly. Andre pins him with an unfamiliar look, but says nothing.

 

**v.**

 

Today was odd, he must admit. Andre didn’t turn up for the Bavlenka’s luncheon, even though he swore on his sword that he would. Panicking at the thought of someone (praying to the Goddess, he hoped it was anyone but the Bavlenkas) asking for the man, he avoided talking to anyone _but_ Gonzalo and Juven.

Limiting himself to only interacting with the two of them was slowly driving him insane. Not only did they have a weird way of talking with each other, it seemed as though all they ever spoke about was something unrelated to the topic at hand. It was _difficult_ to join the conversation -- like reading two different stories in the same book, with totally different tones and meanings in between the lines.

Gonzalo shoots him an apologetic smile, asking if he wants to excuse himself. ‘Huh?’ He stutters, pulling at his jacket’s buttons, ‘ah, no! It’s okay! I don’t really want to talk to anyone else…’ He trails off, cheeks going aflame when he realises at how Gonzalo starts laughing.

Juven snorts, inelegant as ever, ‘Alan’s as awkward as ever~ How cute!’ He protests, throwing subtle insults at Juven, but the man weasels his way out of every situation by taking everything as a compliment (much to Alan’s distress).

The three of them end up childishly squabbling about something or another until Xavier and Starr join them, and the Awkward Ball Quartet (missing Andre) finally find each other after several weeks.

 

**+1**

 

The next day, Alan has a steaming pie in one hand, his pet under his other arm, kicking at Andre’s door harshly.

‘I know you’re awake, Wolf!’ He yells, red building up behind his eyelids. ‘And I know why you didn’t attend the ball last night!’

There is no response.

Getting fed up, he starts shouting, ignoring the stares from everyone else around him. ‘I know it sucks an awful lot to be stared at and looked down on! I know it sucks to always feel like you’re missing something! I know it sucks to have to repeatedly prove your worth, and never get acknowledged because your blood isn’t _noble,’_ he sneers at the word, not even masking the disgust curling up at the base of his throat.

He hears footsteps nearing the door, a sign of progress. Shifting his weight, he continues kicking at the door, pristine boots getting scratched up.

‘It doesn’t mean that you’re _not_ good enough. Those looks don’t mean anything in battle -- they’re not the ones fighting, they’ve never seen the disaster and loss first hand. You’re just as good, sometimes even better, than them!’ His blisters are starting to smart, but he continues, ‘not everyone goes through the same experiences, Wolf! The fact that you’re able to stand up for yourself even though everyone else sees your family as a disgrace is greater than what most can do!’

Panting, he goes on, ‘look at Lady Ellenstein! Look at Starr! They’re doing what you’re doing right now, and even when they fall, they still get back up. You’re as strong as the people you admire, Andre Wolf! So open up this Goddess’ fucking door and let me in before I kick it off the frame!’

The door gets thrown open, and Alan’s smothered in a tight hug, shoulder pads turning a shade darker. He grins, wide and relieved, ‘come on, I’ve got stories to tell. Tonight, we have asses to kick.’

Andre follows him in, watery eyes fiery and determined.

**Author's Note:**

> come knock on my [tumblr](https://hunkjasontodd.tumblr.com/) or my [main blog!](http://ankh-o.tumblr.com/)


End file.
